Matthew Cox on Jones Act
From Transportation Talks October 14, 2024 ft. Matt Cox, Chairman and CEO of Matson · · DU Transportation and Supply Chain Institute
“If the Jones Act were to go away, we would likely stay in our current lanes, but lower-cost competitors not paying US taxes or employing US citizen crews would create disruptive price competition.”
On , Matthew Cox, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer at MATSON INC, spoke about Jones Act during Transportation Talks October 14, 2024 ft. Matt Cox, Chairman and CEO of Matson on DU Transportation and Supply Chain Institute.
About Matthew Cox
In a December 2024 interview, Matt Cox, Chairman and CEO of Matson, discussed the company’s operational performance and environmental goals. He stated that during the pandemic, Matson did not miss a single sailing in three years, attributing this to dedicated terminals and operational resilience. Cox also noted that Matson set a goal four years ago to reduce scope one CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030, and said the company is about 20% toward that target. He described the company’s investment in LNG as a transition fuel, which he said emits about 20% less CO2 than conventional fuels, and mentioned the use of alternative fuels such as hydrogenated vegetable oil. Cox commented on the Jones Act, saying it enjoys wide bipartisan support in Congress and has been backed by the last six or seven presidential administrations. He argued that over 90% of industrialized countries have similar cabotage laws, and stated that if the Jones Act were repealed, Matson would likely stay in its current lanes but face disruptive price competition from lower-cost competitors. Cox also discussed Matson’s diversity and inclusion efforts, including expanding executive leadership development, launching diversity scholarships, and conducting gender and racial pay audits. He described the company’s culture as focused on accountability and on-time performance, noting that reliability is critical for customers in remote territories like Hawaii and Alaska.